Plant profile: Butterfly pea

•Growth habit: A vining evergreen perennial with vigorous shoots producing plants 10 feet tall and wide. The leaves are medium to dark green, consisting of 5 to 7 ovate-shaped leaflets that form leaves that grow to 8 inches long and half as wide.

•Pruning: Give a renewal pruning in late winter to remove damaged foliage and vine portions. Plants are very vigorous and need a trellis, fence or similar structure for growth. Groom as needed to direct growth and keep plants in place.

•Uses: An attractive accent vine to fill a vertical spot in the landscape. Plantings might be used to conceal a wall or fill a fence. Position them to climb a trellis to serve as a back drop for a garden. Plants can be grown in containers to display on patios and balconies. Flower are blue with a white to yellowish center and attract butterflies, opening during the warmer months of April through November.